Council Slams Council Over Special Educational Needs Provision
https://www.chiswickw4.com/default.asp?section=community&link=https://neighbournet.com/server/common/ldrshouns116.htmSee the article on the front page.There is a huge increase in children being excluded from school. Many missed a lot of schooling during Covid. Parents find it harder to work and to put food on the table when there isn't a good rapport between them and the school and with the support of systems that should be there when they need them. Early intervention is critical as peer pressure and bullying can make school a very difficult place for a child to willingly and enthusiastically go to and for parents to make sure that they do go to. Threats and fines can just create more tension and make the situation worse. There are a huge number of people in prison who have Special Educational Needs of one sort or another; there has been a lack of education and the necessary training while in prison, and there has been and still is a revolving door of people returning again and again to prison. No wonder there is a shortage of prison space. The lack of Social Workers and a Probation Service hasn't helped. In the past those leaving prison would have been found some sort of a job and housing for when they were released to support them start them on the straight and narrow. That was lost with austerity.So whilst sorting out old books and looking at a British Dyslexia Association handbook of 2002 (yes, two thousand and TWO) I see the chapter "How Can I tell if a Primary School Child may be Dyslexic? Handy Hints for Primary School Teachers." You would think that there would have been a great deal of improvement wouldn't you with those doing the teaching and being able to see and easily compare a class of children since then? That teachers would be provided with courses as a part of their training and on-going education to understand how everyone is different and learns in different ways and how to engage and enthuse and support those at the start of their school life. Without teachers this can't happen, without continuity of teachers this can't happen, without parent/teacher/school communication this just can't happen. This is to do with strengths and weaknesses, abilities and difficulties. Phonics may be an important part of it but it is not the be-all-and-end-all magic answer!We need better, and it isn't something that can just be sorted by paying fees. It needs to be better for all children and for all adults whichever borough they are in and it needs to start early.BTW The last lines on that chapter in the BDA Handbook are as follows:(Note: Two copies of this, laminated, have been sent to every state primary school in England)NB This checklist can be downloaded from the BDA website.https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk/news/blog-listening-to-our-dyslexic-children-and-families
Philippa Bond ● 24d36 Comments